(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an oil filter fixing system for a V type engine which has oil filters fixed with a crankcase.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of cylinders and oil filters of a conventional V type diesel engine.
The conventional V type diesel engine comprises a crankcase 1, right and left V-banks 30, a crank axis 3, and a cylinder or cylinder liner 4 with a center 4a. A cam axis fixing portion 5 provided for each V bank supports the cam axis by a bearing.
A main bearing 7 supports the crank having the crank axis 3.
An oil filter 10 is fixed, by a bracket 20, with a side portion of the crankcase 1.
A bracket fixing surface 21 parallel to the center of the cylinder 4 is fixed with the bracket 20 by a plurality of bolts 22. There is formed a filter fixing horizontal surface 02 inclined at an angle α from the bracket fixing surface 21. The oil filter 10 is fixed to and hung down from the filter fixing surface 02.
Further, JP11-241612A (1999) discloses an oil filter 10 fixed directly with an almost vertical filter fixing surface on a first oil pan fixed with a lower portion of the crankcase of a slanted engine.
In FIG. 2, the bracket 20 is fixed with the bracket fixing surface on the side portion of the crankcase, thereby forming the vertical filter fixing surface. The oil filter 10 is fixed to and hung down from the vertical filter fixing surface, which prevents oil leaks from the gap formed between the filter fixing surface of the crankcase side and the fixing surface of the oil filter during the filter element exchange. However, extra parts such as the casting product of the bracket 20 are needed for fixing the oil filter hung vertically from the crank.
Further, the apparatus is large-sized and heavy, because the brackets 20 and the oil filters 10 are projected to the right and left sides.
On the other hand, JP 11-241612A (1999) teaches to fix an oil filter directly with a filter fixing surface formed on the first oil pan of the crankcase, which eliminates a bracket for fixing the oil filter. However, the disadvantage is that oil leaks from the gap formed between the filter fixing surface of the crankcase side and the fixing surface of the oil filter during filter element exchanges as the filter fixing surface is formed to be almost vertical.